Athelas was also used by [[Huan]] and [[Lúthien Tinúviel|Lúthien]] to heal wounded [[Beren Erchamion|Beren]] in the early ''[[Lay of Leithian]]''. It contradicts the information from ''[[The Lord of the Rings]]'' of it being brought to Middle-earth by [[Númenoreans]], so it was either changed by [[Tolkien]] in later versions of his legendarium, or athelas grew in [[Beleriand]] before it was destroyed, and then brought ''back'' to Middle-earth by Númenoreans in the [[Second Age]].

Athelas was also used by [[Huan]] and [[Lúthien Tinúviel|Lúthien]] to heal wounded [[Beren Erchamion|Beren]] in the early ''[[Lay of Leithian]]''. It contradicts the information from ''[[The Lord of the Rings]]'' of it being brought to Middle-earth by [[Númenoreans]], so it was either changed by [[Tolkien]] in later versions of his legendarium, or athelas grew in [[Beleriand]] before it was destroyed, and then brought ''back'' to Middle-earth by Númenoreans in the [[Second Age]].

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==Appearances outside the legendarium

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==Appearances outside the legendarium==

Kingsfoil is also mentioned in [[wikipedia:Ursula K. Le Guin|Ursula K. Le Guin]]'s ''[[wikipedia:A Wizard of Earthsea|A Wizard of Earthsea]]'', as one of the herbs in the witch of Gont's hut.

Kingsfoil is also mentioned in [[wikipedia:Ursula K. Le Guin|Ursula K. Le Guin]]'s ''[[wikipedia:A Wizard of Earthsea|A Wizard of Earthsea]]'', as one of the herbs in the witch of Gont's hut.

Revision as of 19:51, 29 July 2008

It was first brought to Middle-earth by Númenoreans, but by the end of the Third Age the knowledge of its healing properties was lost among all but the Rangers of the North. According to folklore in Gondor, it is especially powerful in the hands of the king, perhaps because of the Elvish heritage of the royal house. It was used by Aragorn, secretly entering Minas Tirith upon his return to Gondor to heal those touched by the Black Breath, an act that enhanced his reputation and strengthed his claim to the crown.